Fence-machine.



No. 635,365. Patented out. 24, |899.

G. P. A. wslsENonN.

FENCE MACHINE.

(Application med Mar. 22, 1898.

(No Model.)

witnesses GEORGE P. A. IVEISENBORN, OF ATTICA, INDIANA.

FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,365, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed March 22, 1898. Serial No. 674,819. (No model.)

T Coll whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE P. A. WErsnN- BORN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Attica, in the county of Fountain and State ofIndiana, have invented a new anduseful Fence-Machine, of which thefollowing is a sprecification.

My invention relates tofence-machines,and particularly to that class ofmachines used for inserting vertical wire pickets in doublestrand wirefences.

The object of my invention is to generally improve the construction andextend the usefulness of such machines.

The particular object of my invention is to provide means in machines ofthis class whereby greater power is obtained at the time that greaterpower is needed-enamely, at the first crossing of the fence-wires in theoperation of twisting them around the pickets.

The further object of my invention is to provide in a machine of thisclass, in which the amount of power is variable, means for accommodatingthe various parts during their operation to the variations in the power.

With these objects in view my invention consists in providing in amachine of this class elliptical sprocket-wheels through which thefence-wires are passed,whereby the power necessary to turn these wheelsand twist the wires is applied on the long diameters at the moment ofrst crossing the wires in the operation of twisting.

My invention further consists in a wirefence machine of this classprovided with elliptical sprocket-wheels, throughwhich the fence-wiresare passed, in combination with a continuous drive-chain engaging all ofthe sprocket-wheels and means for taking up the slack of the drive-chainduring the operation' of twisting.

My invention further consists in the vimproved construction,arrangement, and cornbination of parts hereinafter fully described andafterward specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In order to enable others skilled inthe art to which myinvention mostnearly appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed todescribe its construction and operation, reference being had to theaccompanying dra\\'ings,fo1ming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved fence-machine. Fig.2 lis a horizontal sectionalview on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asimilar View on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 with the crank-handle omitted.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view especially illustrating the meansfor holding the machine close to the last-inserted picket. Fig. 5 is atop plan view of one of the tension devices.

Like numerals of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur inthe different iigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, indicates a post or standard uponwhich are adj ustably mounted bearing-plates or supports l1, 12, 13, 14,and for the wire-twisting wheels. Each of these supports consists of twoplates having lateral rear flanges 16, which are connected by bolts 17with caps or brackets 1S, the bolts 17 passing through the rear flanges1G and similar lianges 19 of the brackets 18. By loosening the. bolts 17the supports may be raised or lowered and xed at any desired positionson the standard 10.

In the outer ends of the supports 11, l2, 13, 14, and l5 are journaledsprocket-wheels 20, 21, 22, 23, and 24, which are elliptical in form andare provided through their hubs and trunnions with openings and 26,through which to pass the line-wires of the fence. The trunnion on oneside of the sprocketwheel 24 is extended and is provided with aVgear-wheel 27, whichl meshes with a gearwheel 28, which in turn mesheswith a gearwheel 29, and that with a gear-wheel 30, all of whichgear-wheels are provided with the openings 25 and 26, through which topass the wires of the fence. The gear-wheel 28V is journaled in theouter ends of curved arms 3l, depending from the support 15, thegearwheel 30 being journaled in theouter end of a support 32 and thegear-wheel 29 in the outer end of curved arms projecting from the upperedge of support 32.

Between the two members of the support 13 is journaled a short shaft 34,upon which is secured a sprocket-wheel 35, said shaft being connected bybevel-wheels 36 and 37 with a shaft 38, journaled in a lug 39, securedon IOO one side of the support 13 or formed as part l been secured attheir propel' heights to the thereof, said shaft being provided on itsouter end with a square head to receive a crank-handle 41.

The sides of the support 11 are provided with slots 42, in which aremounted sliding bearing-blocks 43, in which is journaled a shaft 44,carrying a sprocket-wheel 45. Springs 46, secured to the slidingbearingblocks 43 at one end and to the support 11 at the other, tend todraw the sliding bearingblocks toward the standard 10. A drive-chain 47passes between the two arms or members of the supports 11, 12, 13, 14,and 15, engaging with the teeth of the sprocket-wheel 35 on the sidenearest the elliptical wheel and with the teeth of the sprocket on theside farthest from the elliptical sprocket-wheels. The chain afterpassing over the sprocketwheel 45 passes around the outside of thesprocket-wheel 20, thence around the inside of the sprocket-wheel 21,again passing between the two members of the support 12, thence aroundthe outside of the sprocketwhecl 22, thence around the inside of thesprocket-Wheel 23, again passing between the members of the support 14,and thence around the outside and inside of sprocket-wheel 24 andbetween the members of the support 15.

48 and 49 indicate eyes or staples projecting laterally from the sidesof the supports 14 and 15 to receive the hook ends 50 and 51 of rods 52and 53, between which, at their outer ends, is pivoted a lever 54,provided with a vertically-arranged notch 55 in its outer end.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated my improved tension device to be used withmy machine. It comprises a vertically-arranged flat bar 56, having itsend bifurcated, forming arms 57 and 58, in which is journaled a rod 59,which serves as a drum to wind up an attachingwire (not shown) which isto be passed through a slot 60 and secured therein and attached at itsopposite end to the fence-post, the length of the attaching-wire beingadjusted by winding a portion of it upon the drum or rod 5E) by means ofa crank-handle (not shown) upon the square outer end of the drum. Theattaching-rod when wound up is held against being unwound by means of apawl 62, pivoted on the outside of the bar 58 and engaging the teeth ofa ratchet-wheel 63 on the drum or rod, and thus preventing the drum frombeing turned backward. Projecting laterally from the fiat bar 56 arespools or pins 64, 65, 66, and 67, the spools 65 and 67 being in adiderent plane from the spools 64 and 66, so that the double strands ofwire 68 and 60 composing a single line-wire of the fence may be passedalternately under and over the spools or pins 64, 65, 66, and 67 toregulate the tension of the wires while being twisted by the machine.

The construction of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, and its operation may be described as follows:The line-wires of a fence having end post, suitably braced, and havingbeen in the meantime passed through the openings 25 and 26 in thesprocket-wheels 2O to 24 and gear-wheels 27 to 30, or as many of them asmay be desired, according to the number of line-wires to be placed inthe fence, the end post occupying a position in front of Fig. 1, as heredrawn, a picket is placed between the wires resting in the notch 55 ofthe lever 54, when the operator places his leg against the outer end ofthe handle, pressing it forward and bringing the machine and picket inclose proximity. The crank 41 is now turned, which, through the mediumof the shaft 38, the bevel-gears 36 and 37, and the sprocket 35, causesthe drive-chain 47 to be moved. The first movement of the dri ve-chainis when the elliptical gears are in the position shown in Fig. l-that isto say, with the chain engaging the teeth at the extremities of thelongest diameters of said gears. This causes a greater leverage in theapplication of the power, whereby greater power to give the iirst bendto the wires in the operation of twisting is attained. The rotation ofthe elliptical sprocket-wheels causes the Wires to be twisted about eachother, and on'account of the form of the sprocket-wheels the chain willbe alternately tight and slack as it engages the wider or narrowerportions of the sprocket-wheels. This alternating slack and stretch iscompensated for by causing the saine to pass around the sprocket-wheel45, which, being normally drawn toward the post 10 by the spring 46,will always keep the drive-chain stretched. The operation hereinbeforedescribed is repeated as each picket is inserted, the lower end of thepicket resting upon an arm or bracket 83 until secured in theline-wires, thus insuring regularity in their height.

Vhile I have illustrated and described the best means now known to mefor carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood asrestrict-ing myself to the exact details of construction shown anddescribed, but hold that any slight changes or variations such as mightsuggest themselves to the ordinary inechanic would properly fall withinthe limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A fence-machine provided with a series of sprocket-wheels havingopenings for the passage of the double line-wires of the fence, saidsprocket-wheels being elliptical in contour, in combination with adrive-chain engagin g all of the wheels and passing over an additionalsprocket-wheel mounted in springimpelled bearings, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination in a fence-machine, of a standard, a series ofbearing-bars or supports adjustably secured thereon, a pair of rodsprovided with hooks at their inner ends to engage staples in twoadjacent bearing-L IIO to the sliding bearing-blocks and tending tonormally hold them in their positions nearest to the standards, a pin orshaft projecting l through the bearing-blocks, a sprocket-Wheel lmounted on the said pin or shaft, and a drivechain engaging the seriesof wire-twisting sprockets and the spring-impelied sprocket, ailsubstantially as described.

GEORGE P. A. VVEISENBORN.

Witnesses:

OHAs. YARNELL, BENJ. M. WILBER.

